Agenda and minutes

Councillor R Harker

Ms P Hill – NHS Leeds Primary Health

Mr R Hamilton – Black and Ethnic Equalities Governors Network

Mrs S Taylor – Prospect

Mrs F Beevers – York, Bradford, Ripon & Leeds CE Diocese

Mr I Garforth – Foundation School

Mr P Forbes – David Young Community Academy

Mrs L Bryan – Parents Representative

Mr J Fryett – Fair Access Project Director

Ms A Williamson – Choice Advice Service

In Attendance

Mrs V Buckland – Education Leeds

Mrs R Phillips – Education Leeds

Mrs A Oldroyd – Legal Services

Mr J Grieve – Governance Services

To receive any opening remarks from the Chair

In opening the meeting the Chair welcomed everyone in attendance and extended a special welcome to Mr Reginald Hamilton (Black and Ethnic Equalities Governors Network) who was attending for the first time

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Apologies for absence were received from: Sue Knights, Helen Lewis and John Daulby

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1^st October 2009

(Copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1^st October 2009 be accepted as a true and correct record

To consider any matters arising from the minutes

(a)  Matters Arising (Minute No. 6 refers) – The Chair referred to the item   concerned with the Challenging and Vulnerable Children’s Sub   Committee and asked Mr   Forbes if he had received a response from   the Director of Integrated Children’s Services following his enquiry   about the status of a number of children that had come to his attention.

  In responding Mr Forbes said that to date he had not received any   response.

  Officers reported that the Director of Integrated Children’s Services   had been made aware that a response to Mr Forbes enquiry was still   awaited 

  RESOLVED –

(i)  That the Director of Integrated Children’s Services be reminded that a response to Mr Forbes was still outstanding.

(ii)  In the event of no response being provided within a reasonable period, the Chair be informed with a view to pursuing the matter on behalf of Mr Forbes

(b)  Migration of Children from the Colton Area to Primary Schools within the Garforth Trust (Minutes No.7 refers) – The Chair reported that since the last meeting of the Forum he had been made aware that  discussions had taken place with representatives from the Colton area and Garforth Community College.

  Mr Garforth, Chair of Governors at Garforth Community College confirmed that discussions had taken place between the interested parties

  RESOLVED -  To note that dialogue was currently ongoing between  Garforth Community College and representatives from the Colton area

To consider a report by the Chief Executive Education Leeds setting out details of the proposed admission number changes as part of the proposed admission arrangements for September 2011 round

(Report attached)

(Prior to any discussion on this item Councillor Harker declared a personal interest as a Member of the Executive Board which would considered the proposal around admission arrangements at a later date)

With reference to the last meeting of the Forum on 1^st October 2009 when Members received a report setting out details of the proposed admission arrangements for the 2011 Admissions Round. The report indicated that proposed admission number changes for 2011, which form part of the admissions arrangements for 2011, would be available in November 2009.

The Chief Executive Education Leeds submitted a report  identifying the following Primary Schools which could increase their admission limit.

It was reported that the matter would be considered by the Executive Board in December 2009 when permission would be sought to consult on the permanent expansion of some of the above named schools. Assuming permission was granted then consultation would take place during January and February 2010, at the same time as the consultation on admission arrangements (and numbers).

Mrs Buckland, Head of Service, Admissions and Transport suggested that  Forum Members would also be aware that Education Leeds was also consulting on the permanent expansion of 17 primary schools for 2010. The Forum’s views were sought so that in reporting the outcome the Executive Board had full information on which to make a decision.

Mrs Buckland also reported that three High Schools within Pudsey had been written to; (Crawshaw, Grangefield and Priesthorpe) to enquire whether they wished to seek an increase in their admission limits. No  demographic need had been identified, the purpose in writing was to seek  the schools views.

In seeking clarification Mrs Bryan asked how the identified schools had been chosen?

In providing a response Mrs Buckland suggested that a number of factors had been taken into account: significant housing generation, an increase in the birth rate in a particular area, a local need, where a physical capacity to expand existed and where some schools could offer flexible solutions.

In terms of physical alterations to a school, the Chair asked at what stage would design details for the development be known, the Chair said he needed to be assured that the school had sufficient space for the expansion to work and that pupils would not be overcrowded into modular accommodation.

In responding Mrs Buckland said that design details would be known much later on in the process, only after the completion of the consultation process and following the submission of a report to the Executive Board would work on the detail begin.

In passing comment Councillor Harker said that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

To consider a report by the Chief Executive Education Leeds setting out details of the Leeds Co-ordinated Admission Scheme for In Year Admissions 2011/12

(Report attached)

The Chief Executive Education Leeds Submitted a report setting out details of the Leeds Co-ordinated Admission Scheme for In Year Admissions for 2011/12

Addressing the report Mrs Buckland said that from 2011 Education Leeds would act as the admission authority on behalf of Leeds City Council for all other Leeds Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools:

Primary

• Voluntary Aided Catholic Primary Schools
• Voluntary Aided Church of England Schools
• Voluntary Aided Jewish School
• Foundation Schools

Secondary

• Abbey Grange CE High School
• Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
• Corpus Christi Catholic College
• David Young Community Academy
• Garforth Community College
• Leeds West Academy
• Mount St Mary Catholic High School
• South Leeds Academy St Mary’s Catholic Comprehensive

In terms of how the system would operate Mrs Buckland said that from 2010 all offers of a school place would be made by the School Admissions Team within Education Leeds

Commenting on the 20 day timescale for communicating an offer of a place, Mrs Bryan questioned if such a timescale was achievable?

In responding Mrs Buckland clarified that the period referred to 20 school days.

In passing comment Mrs Beevers said; if no places were available at a particular school then presumably a waiting list would be maintained?

Providing a response Mrs Buckland said if no places were available parents would have the right to appeal, but that Aided schools were able to hold waiting lists if they wished to but needed to include these in their published admission policy.

The Chair, in summing up said that there appeared to be no fundamental changes to the system as far as Education Leeds was concerned, it was an expansion of their present operation

RESOLVED - 

(i)  To note Members comments about the timescales

(ii)  To accept there will be no fundamental changes to the   system that Education Leeds currently operates and that the    co-ordinated admission scheme would be an extension to their   present operation

To receive the Forum’s work programme for the period 2010/11 and consider if further adjustments are required to the programme

(Report attached)

Members received and considered the Forum’s Work Programme for the period 2010/11

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the scheduled Work Programme for 2010/11

(ii)  To update the Work Programme to reflect decisions made at   today’s meeting

To consider other business (If any)

Membership – Leeds Admission Forum

The Chair sought an update on the outstanding vacancies on the Forum

Officers reported that there were two vacancies in the Schools Group; Community School and  Controlled School, both vacancies were being actively pursued

The Chair reported that Mr Reginald Hamilton had been nominated as the Black and Ethnic Equalities Governors Network representative.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That Mr Reginald Hamilton be appointed as the Black and Ethnic Equalities Governors Network representative for a 4 year period

(ii)  That officers continue to pursue all other outstanding vacancies

To note that the next meeting of the Forum will take place on Tuesday 2^nd February 2010 at 4.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

RESOLVED – To note that the next meeting of the Forum be arranged for Tuesday 2^nd February 2010

Meetings to be held in the Civic Hall, Leeds commencing at 4.00pm